Learn the Law

The newly revised Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act improve access to accommodations for students and adults with learning disabilities in school and in the workplace.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the nation’s federal special education law that ensures public schools serve the educational needs of students with disabilities. IDEA requires that schools provide special education services to eligible students as outlined in a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).

The Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 currently known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB) challenges states and school districts to increase efforts to improve student academic achievement. Its accountability provisions focus attention on low-performing groups of students, intending to close the achievement gap.

The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) is a civil rights law that was originally passed by Congress in 1990 (as the Americans with Disabilities Act-ADA) and protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace, as well as school and other settings. The ADA was amended in 2008 and became effective January 1, 2009. The law does not provide funding for services or accommodations.